"Freedom of speech is kept with blood"
Governments are primarily responsible for the safety of all of their citizens, including those in the news media but not all governments assume that obligation, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said at the Norwegian Nobel Institute on Wednesday, when congratulating the winners of annual Gerd Bucerius Prize Free Press of Eastern Europe.
A1+ Company was among the six awardees chosen by an 8-member independent jury.
The foreign minister of a country, where people freely exercise their right to freedom of speech and expression, called on the six prize winners and media representatives to be brave and audacious in their activities. Further he cited and expression from an international conference, "freedom of speech is written but kept with blood."
Courage was one of the main criteria for choosing the best six organizations among the 40 candidates.
"The news portal A1+ covers the activities of the opposition, the government's work and parliamentary events. The journalists devote a great deal of attention to social problems, the situation in the regions and civilian organizations. A1+ delivers independent assessments and commentaries, and their direct broadcasts on the Internet are relevant and nuanced," said Gro Holm, a Norwegian journalist and member of the jury.
A1+ Company ["in the person of the Company Director Mesrop Movsesyan] was the first to receive the prize to the warm applause of the audience.
The Company was nominated by Human Rights House, Oslo, and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, which said after the award-giving ceremony that A1+ was truly worthy of the prize.
The prizes of the Fritt Ord Foundation (Oslo) and the ZEIT Foundation (Hamburg) were awarded to four journalists from Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Belarus, Russian weekly "Chernovik" and the website of "A1+" TV Company (www.a1plus.am).
